[private] there is ice and there is fire.

[subversion]

Light is perched halfway up a flight of stairs, hands folded in his lap. Who'd have thought it? He's wondering about life, the mansion and everything, and the things he saw in the death room, which won't leave him alone.

Comments

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, that was a cartel. That was to pay for the dress, and it was a kind of contract thing. Mello runs his city. He's using them to stop Kira.

You've heard about Sayu's kidnapping, right?

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[The hand lifting the cup freezes; how did that slip his mind?]

Mel did it.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Most versions of Mellos tried it, from what I can tell. I should have tried harder to stop him. But I didn't want to be a disappointment.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[He turns away from her, dropping the teabags into the bin and wiping up after himself. A disappointment. That's what she'd worried about.]

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Mello was always the boy I was stupid about. He was radiant.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

Did you think about her at all?

[Still not looking around; he's shut her out.]

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

I didn't- I wasn't in the loop at that point. I didn't find out until she was already taken, and I was on the other side of the world at that point. I kept an eye on her through the surveillance camera, though- nothing happened.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

Why did you say she was catatonic, again?

[Because that's something he has far too much understanding of, and he'd never have let that happen to her.]

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

The shock of the abduction, and probably losing your father so quickly afterwards.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[He wants to ask if that was Mello, too. Except—]

Except none of it was Mello's fault, really, was it?

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

It was definitely Mello's fault. He shouldn't have dragged her into it. Soichiro, though, that was Kira.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[Turning around to look at her, he doesn't believe it. Sayu would never have been involved at all, if not for—]

Matt. If I wanted to know about all of this, about what happens, who should I ask?

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Near or L.

Probably Near, L died a long time ago, he'd only have collected the second wave of information via hearsay. Find yourself a version of Near a little younger and saner than that one, and sit down with him for an hour.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

[Something of a hesitation, and the other half of the question, just to see what she'll say. It's diffident, reluctant.]

What about the other side?

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Mikami.

If you can find him.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

Mikami worshipped him. He doesn't know what the point of it was.

[That had come right off the man, the one time Light spoke to him.]

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

He's the closest thing I can think of. There was also Misa- but she's pretty... well, not the brightest.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

I've spoken to a couple. One didn't seem unusually stupid. The other - well.

[Something of a tired, shuttered smile: you don't want me ever to speak to one of them.]

Do you have so little faith in me, then?

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

What are you talking about?

[subversion.livejournal.com]

You don't want me to talk to them. My copies.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

...they're abusive murderers. I mean, if you want to, you can, of course, but they won't give you the whole story.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

But, Matt - [slipping the mug with its popcorn smell back to the counter, uncannily earnest] - I'm not going to get the whole story from anyone here, am I? Everyone who knows anything has a side.

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

Okay. Then talk to both of them.

[subversion.livejournal.com]

I just want to understand. Why he did it. Why I could have done that, you know?

[stripesandheels.livejournal.com]

I can't handle talking about it any more right now. I think I'm going to be sick.